Flap discs

Our flap discs are the perfect abrasive option to obtain an aggressive and long-lasting grinding in your operation. We manufacture them to our customers' specifications, with the abrasive and the amount of flaps or flaps that the operation requires.

Flap discs have gained great popularity in recent years and are the most competitive option on the market. They are currently replacing solid or stone grinding discs as they are lighter than them. In addition, being so light has also made them the most comfortable option for an operator, since the vibration generated by their use is much lower than that caused by other tools. This same vibration generates less discoloration in the metals worked by the flap disc.

Flap discs are easier to control and generate less noise than other discs, which allows your operator to work longer and avoid fatigue. In addition, they are very safe for their users, as they are flexible and do not have a tendency to break.

How to choose a flap disc?

Although initially there was only one type of abrasive flap disc, today we have a wide variety of models. Each one has unique properties that will provide us with different benefits. Flap discs for grinders, emery, radial or polishing machines exist in different presentations. Choosing the type of flap disc we need will depend on the use we want to give it.

Flap discs are manufactured from different minerals such as aluminum oxide, zirconia, silicon carbide or enhanced ceramic. Different types of flap discs can have different types of backings. Fiberglass backings are the most common because of their affordable price, non-polluting and very safe. Plastic backings can be trimmed to make better use of the sandpaper.

Laminated discs are used for weld removal, rust removal, surface preparation, light cleaning, beveling and edge deburring. They come in different grit sizes such as 24, 36, 40, 60, 80 and 120, which are the most common. These flap discs are designed for use in a 7-inch polisher.

The ideal flap disc models for finishing are made of two types of backing: fiberglass and plastic, in 4 ½ and 7 inch sizes, which are the most common in the industry. The 4 ½ flap discs will need to be used on a mini polisher.

Each abrasive flap disc has a different grit type. Below we share with you the recommended grit type according to the operation you are going to perform:

What materials can I work with a flap disc?

Flap discs are mainly used on metal or wood surfaces, but there are also other materials that can be treated with a flap disc such as steel, paint, lacquer, glass, marble or corian, among others.

Especially in wood, a flap disc can save work to other more expensive or specific tools such as a sander or planer. And in metal it is an ideal tool for removing burrs and can replace a grinding disc in certain cases, as long as the surface we want to work on is small. On metal, a flap disc works very well for sanding or for removing rough edges.

Wood flap discs and metal flap discs are usually made of aluminum dioxide. These types of discs also work for tapping soft metals, low carbon steels, paint or lacquer, among others.

Flap discs made of silicon carbide are ideal for working marble, glass or corian. And flap discs made of granite and stone help us to work marble and corian.

Flat and concave flap discs

Sometimes we need to achieve a finish on a flat surface and other times on an angle that is difficult to reach. For these cases we have two types of flap discs, one that is completely flat, type 27, and the other, model 29, is conical and with a small angle that will be in contact with the material to be sanded. A flat flap disc will have direct contact with a large area and a concave one only with a small part of a surface. However, on inclined surfaces, the contact area that would be covered by a conical flap disc will be larger than that which could be reached by a flat disc. The latter would be the case, for example, if we wanted to sand the edge of a table at a 90-degree angle.

Why using flap discs is a great option?

The price of a flap disc is usually much more economical in the long run than other tools, as it is much more comfortable and safer for its operators. By consulting an expert for the best flap disc for the job at hand, we can achieve better results with less effort.